Original subtitles

I said, well, Doctor, we've been married 15

years and he loves wearing his hat and

his boots in bed.

It's true.

I've expected the baby to be wearing a

baller hat and booties.

You've been married nearly 15 years, haven't you

Mary?

It feels longer.

Nonsense, darling.

It's not nonsense, it's true.

Why don't you get the hoodies, darling?

Why don't you?

It's just behind you.

Oh, yes, right.

Coming up.

Can I help at all?

No, no, no.

Sit down.

Who'd be a doctor's wife?

I don't know how you manage it, Carol.

Oh, I find it quite easy.

Oh.

I can imagine.

No, you mustn't.

Why not?

I mean it.

I don't think you should have any more

to drink, darling.

Oh, do shut up.

I'll drink what I like and say what

I like.

Eat your pudding.

I guess we all feel a bit fed

up sometimes, Mary.

And Steve's late at the hospital.

I don't think Mary needs a holiday, Roger.

And what he earns.

He's doing great well.

Oh.

What's the matter?

It's your tongue.

Oh.

I nearly broke a tooth.

I'm sorry.

Excuse me.

Are you all right?

What's that?

Oh, no.

A ring.

I'd hoped you'd swallow it.

Oh, Mary, come on.

Yes, it is a ring.

It's our ring.

It's our wedding ring.

Is this your idea of a joke?

A joke?

Don't you understand?

I can't take it any more.

I'm so sorry.

Is it Mary's ring?

Oh, yes.

It has our names engraved on it.

And the date of our wedding.

What that's worth now.

Roger.

Oh, hello.

How are you?

Fine.

My last week on night, for the time

being.

How's Mary?

Haven't seen her since...

Morning.

I haven't seen you.

Ah, we all go through these...

little patches.

Quite.

Mary went to stay with her sister for

a while.

She?

But...

Joan, that we met at the dinner.

Oh, yes.

Yes, of course she did.

Anyway, since she got back, she's been much

better, actually.

Oh, good.

Morning, Ali.

Certainly.

She's even wearing a ring again.

Oh, special.

Tell Carol she'd be delighted.

Thank you.

I think you were just putting the right

face on it.

Poor Roger.

I'm very glad to have you.

I'm coming to bed.

Mrs. Hutchins?

What have I got to come and get

you?

Nothing.

That's funny.

Hutchins.

I would really love you to have taken

on a name like that.

You've been all the neighbours to see it.

Want to look at the moon?

Steve?

It's a conspiracy.

The white baby is always arriving in the

middle of the night.

Oh, it's just consistent with the time I

make.

Hutchins.

Hello, Roger.

She's left me.

Mary, she's left me.

I'm so sorry to ring at this hour,

Steve, but there isn't anyone else I could

talk to.

She's taken her jewellery and some clothes.

Nothing else.

And there's a note.

Oh, Steve, I'm so sorry.

Just take it easy.

Get yourself a very nice drink.

OK.

Look, tell him we'll come over.

Hold on.

It's five to three.

Tell him.

Carol says why don't we come over.

I'm sorry.

I really did try to make a go

of things.

You've never understood me.

I guess you're a bit of a failure.

I see.

I'm sorry.

I shouldn't have rung you.

I didn't know what else to do.

It's typically Mary.

So bitter.

I'm sorry, Roger, but I don't think she'd

be satisfied anywhere with anyone.

Darling, a kettle.

And it's true, too, in a way, isn't

it?

I am a bit of a failure.

You're not.

Can we have it black, darling?

Oh, this is such a dull place.

I quite like this town.

It's hardly the metropolis, though, is it?

And you know Mary.

So vital, so full of life.

You mean selfish, Roger.

No.

In a way, she's never really grown up.

She expects so much.

She never thinks of you.

That other evening, she might have spared you

in front of us all.

Shut up, darling.

No, I owe it to Roger to say

what I honestly think.

Can't be such a surprise, can it?

The way she behaved.

Say those things.

That was just the wine.

She didn't really mean it.

She wasn't drunk when she put her wedding

ring in your pudding.

She must have worked it all out and

sat there waiting for you to find it.

Didn't change her mind all evening, did she?

I think Carol is right, Roger.

Come on, drink this.

Yes.

Thank you, darling.

Yes, yes, I suppose so.

I just...

I just couldn't live up to her, you

see.

I am a bit of a fag.

You're not ambitious.

None the worse for that.

There's too many people shoving and pushing to

get to the top.

Have you any idea where she might have

gone?

Back to Jones, perhaps?

It was the first thing I thought of.

She wasn't there.

There were just the two of them, you

see.

Both her parents are dead.

Jones said, why didn't I drive over?

But it...

Well, it's miles away.

And I never really cared for Jones.

When did she leave?

When did you find the note?

Well, I'm...

I'm supposed to be off night duty at

the moment, but, well, I got a call

from casualty to say that someone hadn't turned

up.

A car had broken down.

Something...

Anyway, I...

I did his first shift.

Ten till two.

I rang Mary.

I explained.

She took it beautifully.

That was the funny thing.

She wasn't annoyed as I'd expected her to

be.

Come on, Roger.

Come on.

You say she's only taken a few things

with her?

Yes.

Practically nothing at all.

I...

She must have had it all planned, you

see.

To go to someone else.

Another man.

I've been blind to let her go like

that.

But these last few weeks it's all been

sweetness and light.

I should have known it was too good

to be true.

You didn't know, I don't suppose?

No.

No, of course you wouldn't know if it

was someone else.

She was so secretive.

I never really understood her.

All my fault.

Can we get a divorce now?

No.

I want her back.

I suppose you must despise me.

But I'd have her back any time.

You would too, wouldn't you?

Yes.

Yes, of course.

I love her so much.

If you

ask me he's better off without her.

You've been knocking this back a bit, haven't

you?

Yes.

Don't change my mind about the police.

I think you ought to go and see

them after all.

But when I asked you before you said

you didn't think they'd be able to help.

But she's a missing person.

She's been gone how long is it now?

Three weeks.

Two days.

Well, isn't it worth a try?

Yes.

Yes.

I've applied for a job in a bigger

hospital.

Have you?

Where?

Cambridge.

I can't go on living here without her.

I can't take the gossip anymore.

You shouldn't worry about the gossip.

They'll find something else to talk about, won't

they?

That's what they're saying about Mary.

I know they're being horrible about her.

Oh, Carol wants to know if you're eating

properly.

Are you?

Yes.

Yes, lots of muesli and yoghurt.

I'll be yodelling soon.

Right.

You go to the police.

See what they can do.

Yeah.

Well, I'd better go.

Yeah.

Well, your wife put it clearly enough, didn't

she?

Yes.

I'm sorry, Dr Eshburn, but if a lady

is determined to leave her husband, then quite

frankly, the role of the police is minimal.

But surely she's a missing person.

No.

She hasn't tried to contact you at all.

No.

No relatives?

Not a word.

Look, surely the police must be...

For the most part, we act after events,

not before, like you do, Doctor.

And if, as you believe, she's found someone

else to support her, then that really is

a personal matter between you and her.

I'm sorry, Doctor, but she could be anywhere.

Hello?

Hello, Carol?

It's Roger.

I'm just off.

If may, I should get in touch with

you.

Carol?

Yes, yes, I'm here.

Of course we'll let you know.

And listen, you take care of yourself, OK?

And if we hear anything, I'll ring you

in Cambridge at once.

I promise.

Morning.

Morning.

Morning, sister.

Good morning.

Oh, I thought it was your day off,

Doctor Ashburn.

Ah, yes, it was.

But Doctor Greenwood said he'd quite like to

see the vastly matches took in him, so

I said I'd do this just for him.

Good Lord, you are keen.

Well, it isn't as if I've got anything

else to do.

You know me, I like to be useful.

What is that?

Hello.

Is that yours?

Is that yours?

So, what luxury.

I always get pregnant more often.

You only had to ask, madam.

I think it was that night before Roger

phoned.

What, done it?

Have you got another letter?

Again?

He is loyal.

Shall I read it to you?

No.

As for living, I have my butler to

end up for me.

Who said that?

I don't know.

Some barmy French aristocrat or other.

You're both.

I'm so busy here, the weeks seem to...

What's that?

Disappear.

But even so, Mary is never far from

my thoughts.

I've made several friends now at the hospital

and Joan wrote last week she hasn't heard

from Mary either.

I don't need any more.

Why?

I don't like it.

Why not?

It upsets me.

He goes on and on.

Maybe it's just me.

Just give me the gist of it.

He reckons a couple of the nurses rather

fancy him, but to no avail.

He's got this bedsitter, Cherry Hinton.

Life and death and the casualty.

Goes on.

Love, etc.

Oh, P.S. I'll ring next week in

case you've heard from Mary.

It's the way.

He's trying to persuade himself that she's coming

back.

And he knows there's no hope.

Well...

No, it's wrong.

Too much.

He can't still go on hoping.

Poor sod.

He's devoted to her.

She's more obsessed.

Can you believe in such devotion?

Oh, dear.

Poor old Roger.

Excuse me, doctor.

The ambulance service has just radioed in.

They're on their way with the road accident

victim.

She's got massive head injuries and possible lower

limb fractures.

I've put the theatre on standby and the

crash trolley and x-ray are ready now.

All right.

Didn't even stop, the bastard.

Hit and run.

Do you know anything about her?

Nothing.

No handbag, nothing.

I can't get a pulse, doctor.

I reckon she's gone.

All right, let's have a look.

Very right mess of her.

Oh, my God.

Thank God.

You know her?

My wife.

Your wife?

It's Mary, my wife.

She's dead.

All right, all right.

Come on.

There's nothing more you can do here.

Come on.

That's it.

Come on.

Not to be the doctor's wife.

She's dead.

You'll be wanting her stuff.

Yes, I suppose so.

My condolences, Dr Ashburn.

Must have been a terrible shock for you.

Why?

Why Mary of all people?

You were clearly very fond of her.

Yet you were separated.

Yes.

She left me.

But I'd always hoped she'd come back.

Hadn't heard a word since last May.

I assumed she'd found herself a rich man.

But judging by those, they're pretty cheap clothes,

aren't they?

Too proud to ask you for maintenance, I

dare say.

Can you bite this back?

Thanks.

My wife and I did that.

What?

Had our names and the wedding date engraved

on the inside.

Sentimental, but nice.

Miss Hunter?

Yes.

I'm sorry about this, but we did ask

Dr Ashburn if there were any other next

of kin.

Of course.

If you'd come this way.

Thank you.

Please wait here, Dr Ashburn.

We won't be a moment.

In a case like this, we like corroboration

of identity.

Awful for you, I know, but the staff

here have tidied her up.

Well?

Yes.

That's my sister Mary.

Do you know, darling, I think I prefer

you with dark hair.

Do you?

I thought we might need a little fortifying

before Joan arrives.

What shall we drink to, darling?

Oh.

We'll drink to the coroner's report and to

the insurance policy and to the clause doubling

the amount awarded in case of accidental death.

Here's to a quarter of a million pounds.

Courtesy of Premier Life Insurance.

I gather I'm welcome since you left the

door on the latch.

Joan, yes, of course, darling.

Come in, have some champagne.

No, thank you.

I can't afford to develop expensive tastes.

Not on my share of the proceeds.

Really?

Ten percent?

Twenty-five thousand pounds?

Not enough, darling.

If I hadn't kept you hidden in my

flat till the right car crash victim came

along, and if I hadn't identified that victim

as my sister, where would you be?

Are you asking for more?

I want half.

Or I'll go to the police.

Tell them how you slipped Mary's ring onto

the dead woman's finger.

How you...

But no crimes being committed.

Fraud.

You aren't dead, Mary, are you?

Officially, I am.

That's the beauty of it.

And I was cremated, too.

The missing Jacqueline Smith was cremated.

She's still missing.

And there's no suspicious circumstances.

There will be.

Unless...

You're an accessory to the fraud, Joan.

As guilty as we are.

So don't be greedy.

Or my new wife and I might just

have to think of another plan.

We've got the experience now, dear.

We've got the experience now, dear.